迪文小说

第3部分（第2页）

_man_oeuvres　of　armies。　But　the　history　of　peace；　too；　the　narrative　of

labour　in　the　field；　the　forest；　and　the　vineyard；　is　written　in　the

victorious　sign　_manual_……the　sign　of　the　hand　that　has　conquered　the

wilderness。　The　labourer　himself　is　called　a　_hand_。　In　_man_acle　and

_manu_mission　we　read　the　story　of　human　slavery　and　freedom。

The　minor　idioms　are　myriad；　but　I　will　not　recall　too　many；　lest　you

cry；　〃Hands　off！〃　I　cannot　desist；　however；　from　this　word…game　until　I

have　set　down　a　few。　Whatever　is　not　ones　own　by　first　possession　is

_second…hand_。　That　is　what　I　am　told　my　knowledge　is。　But　my

well…meaning　friends　e　to　my　defence；　and；　not　content　with　endowing

me　with　natural　_first…hand_　knowledge　which　is　rightfully　mine；　ascribe

to　me　a　preternatural　sixth　sense　and　credit　to　miracles　and　heaven…sent

pensations　all　that　I　have　won　and　discovered　with　my　good　right

hand。　And　with　my　left　hand　too；　for　with　that　I　read；　and　it　is　as　true

and　honourable　as　the　other。　By　what　half…development　of　human　power　has

the　left　hand　been　neglected？　When　we　arrive　at　the　acme　of　civilization

shall　we　not　all　be　ambidextrous；　and　in　our　_hand…to…hand_　contests

against　difficulties　shall　we　not　be　doubly　triumphant？　It　occurs　to　me；

by　the　way；　that　when　my　teacher　was　training　my　unreclaimed　spirit；　her

struggle　against　the　powers　of　darkness；　with　the　stout　arm　of

discipline　and　the　light　of　the　manual　alphabet；　was　in　two　senses　a

hand…to…hand　conflict。

No　essay　would　be　plete　　Shakspere。　In　the

field　which；　in　the　presumption　of　my　youth；　I　thought　was　my　own　he　has

reaped　before　me。　In　almost　every　play　there　are　passages　where　the　hand

plays　a　part。　Lady　Macbeths　heart…broken　soliloquy　over　her　little

hand；　from　which　all　the　perfumes　of　Arabia　will　not　wash　the　stain；　is

the　most　pitiful　moment　in　the　tragedy。　Mark　Antony　rewards　Scarus；　the

bravest　of　his　soldiers；　by　asking　Cleopatra　to　give　him　her　hand：

〃mend　unto　his　lips　thy　favouring　hand。〃　In　a　different　mood　he　is

enraged　because　Thyreus；　whom　he　despises；　has　presumed　to　kiss　the　hand

of　the　queen；　〃my　playfellow；　the　kingly　seal　of　high　hearts。〃　When

Cleopatra　is　threatened　with　the　humiliation　of　gracing　Caesars　triumph；

she　snatches　a　dagger；　exclaiming；　〃I　will　trust　my　resolution　and　my

good　hands。〃　With　the　same　swift　instinct；　Cassius　trusts　to　his　hands